Your Music Arts Supplement (audition) is an opportunity to demonstrate your musical preparation, technical ability, and artistic potential. This page includes audition requirements for each instrument and voice type, along with recommendations to help you prepare a successful submission.
Looking for deadlines or application instructions? Visit the Undergraduate Applications page.
Preparing Your Audition
A strong foundation in music literacy and performance will help you prepare for your audition and succeed in the undergraduate music curriculum.
Music Fundamentals
Applicants should be comfortable with:
- Reading music in treble and/or bass clef
- Identifying key signatures
- Performing major and minor scales
- Matching pitches by ear
Performance Skills
Your audition should demonstrate:
- Technical proficiency and accuracy
- Tone quality
- Musical versatility, interpretation, and style
- Overall preparation and musicianship
- Potential for continued musical growth
These foundational skills will continue to develop through coursework, applied lessons, and ensemble experiences at CWRU.
Audition Tips
Before recording your audition, we recommend that you:
- Select repertoire that highlights your musical strengths, technique, and artistry.
- Choose music that reflects your interests, experiences, or artistic voice.
- Record in a quiet, well-lit location.
- Ensure your instrument and hands (or face, for vocalists) are clearly visible.
- Perform with live accompaniment whenever possible.
- Avoid audio editing, digital enhancement, or overdubbing.
Need additional guidance? Review our Preparing Your Audition Guide.
Audition Requirements by Instrument or Voice
Please review the requirements for your primary instrument or voice below.
Piano
- Three works representing different musical periods
- All works must be memorized
Examples of acceptable repertoire:
- Baroque: A composition by Bach
- Classical: A movement or complete sonata by Haydn, Mozart or Beethoven
- Romantic, Impressionist, or Contemporary: One work from one of these periods (only one selection total)
Organ
- Two selections from the standard organ literature in contrasting styles or periods
- Demonstrate musical and technical skills
- Memorization not required
- Applicants may include a partial piano audition (see Piano requirements above)
Violin & Viola
- One (three-octave) major scale
- One (three-octave) melodic minor scale
- One movement of a standard concerto or other representative solo work
- One movement of a standard concerto or comparable work for solo violin with accompaniment
- Two contrasting movements from a Bach suite, sonata, or partita, or comparable unaccompanied works by any composer
- Memorization not required
- Optional: One additional selection of your choice
Cello
- One (two-octave) major scale
- One (two-octave) melodic minor scale
- Two contrasting works or movements from a concerto, sonata, or similar repertoire
- One or two movements from the Bach Cello Suites (or comparable work)
- Memorization not required
- Optional: One additional selection of your choice
Double Bass
- One (two-octave) major scale
- One (two-octave) melodic minor scale
- Two contrasting works or movements from a concerto, sonata, or similar repertoire
- Memorization not required
- Optional: One additional selection of your choice
Woodwinds & Brass
- One (two-octave) major scale
- One (two-octave) chromatic scale
- Three works or movements of contrasting styles demonstrating technique, range, tone, articulation, and musicianship
- One of the three selections may be a solo or orchestral excerpt performed on a secondary instrument (if applicable) (e.g., oboe and english horn)
- Saxophone: Alto, tenor, or baritone saxophone accepted
- Clarinet: B-flat or bass clarinet accepted (audition should be primarily B-flat clarinet)
Percussion
Applicants should perform on all three of the following instruments:
- Snare Drum: Solo or etude (Cirone, Delecluse, Peters, Pratt, Wilcoxon, etc.)
- Mallets: Two- or four-mallet solo (marimba, vibraphone, or xylophone)
- Timpani: Solo or etude (Carroll, Delecluse, Freise, Goodman, etc.)
- Drum Set (optional): Two selections in contrasting jazz styles, moods, or tempos
- Memorization not required
- On-campus applicants should provide their own sticks and mallets
Drum Set
- Two selections in different jazz styles, moods, or tempos
- Include improvisation
- One medium-tempo or ballad selection using brushes
- Memorization not required
- Optional: One additional work of your choice (pop, rock, bebop, jazz, funk, etc.)
Guitar
Classical
- Two contrasting works (one lyrical/slow, one demonstrating technical skill)
- Two major or minor scales and arpeggios of your choice
- Memorization not required
- Optional: One additional work (any style) or original composition
Jazz or Popular Music
- Two contrasting selections
- Demonstrate major and minor pentatonic scales
- Memorization not required
- Optional: One additional work from existing popular repertoire or an original composition
- If other musicians appear in the recording, the applicant must remain clearly featured.
- Audio must be live with no digital enhancement.
- Studio recordings may be submitted as supplemental material but may not replace the audition.
Harp
- Two solos works of contrasting style (preferably memorized)
- Level III Warm-Up from On Playing the Harp by Yolanda Kondonassis
- One standard orchestral excerpt of your choice
Historical Performance Practice
(Baroque Flute, Oboe, Violin, Cello, Viola da Gamba, Harpsichord, Fortepiano, Lute, Recorder, Harp, Brass, Percussion)
- Three works spanning appropriate periods (e.g., contrasting suite movements, sonata movements or recitative and aria)
- Solo or small ensemble performance (applicant must be clearly featured and visible)
- Memorization not required
- Applicants will be evaluated by Historical Performance Practice faculty on their command of various national idioms, ornamentation styles, and other aspects of historical performance, as well as the overall level of artistry, and academic potential.
Voice
Classical Styles
- Three contrasting vocal solos (art songs, 17th–20th century repertoire, folk songs)
- At least one selection in a foreign language
- Strongly encouraged to memorize
- Perform with keyboard accompaniment; live pianist (preferred) or recorded pianist (accepted)
- No digital enhancement, effects, or overdubbing
Popular Styles
- Three contrasting vocal solos (pop, rock, jazz, musical theater)
- Strongly encouraged to memorize
- Perform with keyboard accompaniment; self-accompaniment permitted or recorded tracks when appropriate
- Optional studio recordings or live performances may be submitted as supplemental material
- Sound amplification permitted, with no digital enhancement, effects, or overdubbing
Pre-College Applicants
The voice is still developing at this stage. Faculty will evaluate:
- Healthy vocal production
- Natural tone
- Vocal freedom
- Expressive musicianship
Applicants should choose repertoire that is comfortable and appropriate for their current level of development. Prior participation in choirs, musical theatre, solo performance, piano study, or private voice lessons is beneficial.